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Help from union breaches code of ethics

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Monday September 30, 2013 6:11 AM

The Wednesday Education Insider column correctly pointed out the conflict of interest involved
in Board of Education candidates taking endorsements and campaign contributions from
school-district employees’ unions. Subsequent negotiations with unions over salaries and benefits
do indeed pose an enormous conflict, and violate public trust.

Jim Burgess, Luke Davis and I declined to pursue union endorsement, campaign help and money
because the Westerville school board’s Code of Ethics states that board members must “avoid
conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof.” The union clearly has the right to engage in this
practice, and will continue to do so as long as it remains profitable.

The breach of ethics is on the part of the candidates who ignore the conflict, and run for
office in violation of the public trust. When we were asked by the union to interview, our first
response was not to the union, but to the other five candidates who oppose us in the race. We
pointed out the code provision and conflict. We asked them to join us in putting an end to this
practice by not interviewing.

All of our opponents refused, and pursued the union’s endorsement. Westerville is not the only
school district in which a union is attempting to elect board members with whom they negotiate
their contracts. A story looking into this practice, and comparing how politically active unions
fare in negotiations versus non-active unions, might be enlightening reading for central Ohio
voters.